PLAYING IT S.A.F.E. (Successful Activities For Everyone)
Don Puckett -
Part I – Getting Started (Warm Ups, Mixers and Cooperative Activities)
I SEE
The leader says "I See" and the group responds with "What do you see?". Then the leader tells what he or she sees, which can be any movement, exercise or skill challenge such as "I see everyone jogging clockwise". The group begins jogging and continues until the leader says "I See", which starts the process over.
This is an excellent and positive attention getter. If you choose to add various types of equipment such as balls, jump ropes, or juggling scarves there is no end to the activities the group may be guided through.
Whether you use equipment or just bodies and minds this activity provides immediate success and sets a method of class management into motion with simply saying "I See".
SUCCESSFUL GROUP MOVEMENT
The leader will use verbal commands to take the group through a series of movements such as sitting, standing, tuck, pike, long sitting, hook sitting, touch your head, touch your toes, etc..
As the group goes through the movements the leader should point out successes with positive phrases such as "I like the way you are working", "That's excellent", "Fantastic", "Thank you for helping", and other phrases that may serve as encouragement.
A variation would be to add counting after the commands and continue the counting until the task is completed by the entire group. You will find the group speeding up their efforts and this becomes an excellent time to thank them for wanting to work hard to do their best.
ATTENTION
This a great attention getter that I learned from Rudy Benton and it has proven to be a crowd pleaser. The leader gives the command "Attention" and the group comes to attention as they would if they were in the military.
The leader now makes a statement such as "Buckle Up" and the group says "Buckle Up" and follows it with a salute and a loud "Yes Sir". Some other commands may be "Brush Your Teeth", "Eat Your Vegetables", "Exercise Daily", or "Do Your Homework".
Use commands to relate to health information, body parts, math problems, and other subjects that your group may identify with. I sometimes throw in "We love you (your name)". This is a really fun exercise and once again you have control.
COOPERATIVE SHAPES
Have the groups form the shapes on the flash cards or show the shapes on a screen with an overhead projector. Geometric shapes, letters of the alphabet, or abstract images will provide a challenge for group members to work together. Teamwork and fair play are very important and this activity enhances those qualities. (This is an excellent activity to be set to music)
EXERCISE CARDS
Make several task cards and place them in the center of the activity area. The players will be scattered in their personal space. On a signal the players travel to the center, select a card, return to there personal space and complete the task.
When the task is completed they return the cards, get a new card and repeat the process. Play until everyone has done 8 or 10 tasks and move on to another activity.
You will need an area with jump ropes and balls if you make task cards involving skills with that equipment. The task cards need only simple tasks such as "10 push ups", "Jog 1 Lap", or "Jump Rope 25 Times Backwards".
FITNESS TAG
This is a variation of Exercise Cards. Have 3 or 4 "its" for every 12 members of your group. The "its" carry a task card and when they tag someone that person takes the card, completes the task and continues as a new "it".
2:40 TORTURE TEST
As the music is playing the group will jog, hop, skip, or whatever the leader says clockwise, counter clockwise, or scrambled eggs (any direction). On the command of "Champions" the group will hold their hands high overhead with fists clenched as they are continuing to move. On the command "Training" the group will pretend they are jumping rope. On the command "Shadow Boxing" the group will pretend they are boxing and on "Dead Bug" everyone goes to their backs, waves their arms and legs in the air while yelling and then they quickly return to their feet.
The theme song from "Rocky" titled "Gonna Fly Now" by Bill Conti is the original version of this activity created by Rudy Benton. Most any upbeat song may be used successfully for this activity.
SWITCH AND ROTATE
This is an activity to enhance listening skills and teamwork. In groups of 3 or more, have the participants in single file lines facing the same direction. The leader is the first person in line and the group will follow whatever movement he/she does.
In the beginning, the instructor should call out how the group is to move such as jog, walk, skip, etc. The instructor will also do the commands of "Switch and Rotate".
On "Switch" the entire line does an about face and this makes the last person in line the new leader. On "Rotate" the first person moves to the end of the line making the second person the new leader. Make sure you thank group members for cooperating with one another, and as you get into the activity it is nice to add music and perhaps a ball for the leader to dribble.
AEROBICS
Aerobics may be used in varying degrees for different age groups. Following the leader is the best way to start groups with this type of activity. As skills progress, the use of videos and student designed routines becomes popular.
Listed below will be some basic steps to be taught in a large group or set up as an aerobic circuit.
* Bounce and twist - bounce up and down with feet together and twist each time you land.
* Elbow to knee - As you lift a knee in front touch it with the opposite elbow as you hop on the foot still on the floor.
* Pendulum swing - swing your legs from side to side landing on one foot at a time.
* Stride jump - start with one foot in front of the other about 18 to 24 inches. Jump up and switch the front and back foot positions. Repeat as single or double counts.
* Knee slap - Lift one knee and slap it with both hands and lift the other knee and slap it with both hands. Just keep doing this in time with the music.
* Leg kicks - As you bounce up and down alternate kicking one leg forward and then the other.
* Superball - Bounce straight up and down as you try to keep your feet together.
These are just a few steps and as you progress to "step aerobics" the challenges are greater but the fun increases as well. Be creative and energetic!
FOLLOW THE LEADER (PAPER SHAKE)
Either as one large group or several small groups have one person be the leader and the rest of the group simply mirrors the leader's movements.
On a designated signal the leader chooses someone to become the new leader or set an order in which you will change leaders. Sometimes it is best to ask for volunteers to be leaders if some group members are reluctant to be in front.
This activity encourages group members to use leadership skills and gives the instructor a chance to enjoy the natural creativity of the children.
MAGIC CIRCLE
Have the group all around the outside of a parachute, hold onto ropes that have been tied together, or grasp a piece of elastic that has been tied to make about a 25' or 30' circle.
As the group is moving to verbal commands have them walk, jog, skip, leap, jump, crawl, or whatever locomotor skill you wish to use and as they do these motions have them move the parachute, rope, or elastic through different levels.
You may have half of the group stay stationary while the others go over, around, under, inside, and outside the object that is being held.
This activity has endless possibilities for movement exploration and cooperation.
ARTIST AND CLAY
One person will be the artist and the others in the group will be the clay. As soft music is playing the artist will work quietly to form a statue out of the clay.
The statue must be able to stay balanced while all of the other artists move about the museum viewing the masterpieces.
Once the first showing is over have the artist and clay trade roles. This is another activity that enhances appreciation for others as well as the arts.
Sometimes students from second grade and up are able to use the ropes, balls, and juggling scarves to make statues that have moving parts. This turns out to be great stuff!
PEOPLE TO PEOPLE
Begin the activity by having group members face another person. The leader will say something like "Hand to Hand" and the two will join hands. When the leader gives a second command like "Foot to Foot" the two drop hands and join feet.
When the leader says "People to People" everyone gets a new partner. The leader continues this process changing partners every few seconds.
Some of the commands may be "knee to knee, elbow to elbow, back to back, cheek to cheek, and with the older children you can get into designating right and left, inside and outside, and front and back.
This is an excellent mixer and will help with the learning of body parts. If there is an odd number in the group you may have groups of 3 or have the odd person do the commands. You will also need to have a certain area as "lost and found". This will be where group members who cannot find a partner go to join someone else.
Movement exploration is a life long process with many challenges which provide endless opportunities to learn just what our bodies can do. As we go through these activities we will be dealing with locomotor, nonmanipulative, and manipulative skills. Perfection is a concept in movement which may never be reached but the learning process that takes us through different stages of development is exciting . We stress certain techniques for efficient movement but remember each individual has the ability to adapt their movement patterns to achieve their personal level of success, for example the "The Fosbury Flop".
HOME BASE
Home Base emphasizes personal space and challenges the participants to explore general space using a variety of locomotor skills and movement patterns.
The leader will use many of the same cues from "Just Me" and add walking , crawling, running, sliding, hopping, and skipping away from the hoop into general space, and on the signal "Home Base" the participants return to their home base.
These movements will require some demonstration and while moving in general space encourage the use of different patterns such as a straight line, a curved pattern and zig zag pattern as well as moving on different levels of low, medium, and high.
This activity offers immediate success and will prove to be a valuable tool for structuring more complicated lessons.
MOVATHON
This activity can easily turn into a fitness related activity with or without equipment. The leader takes the group through a series of locomotor movements such as walking, running, crawling, galloping, sliding, and skipping as individuals and on command in groups of 2, 3, 4, etc.
When the leader says "stop" group members should stand quietly with their hands on their hips. As the group is asked to move in groups they may choose to hold hands or simply be close as they move.
These challenges will add social awareness and cooperation to the movement experience and establish another positive means for controlling students' actions.
JUMP THE CREEK
Place the jump ropes on the floor or ground with two ends fairly close together and the opposite ends far enough apart to cause the students to get a running start to try and jump the widest part of the creek. The ropes forming the creek will look like the letter V lying on the floor or ground.
This formation of the ropes will allow each student to select the level of challenge for each jump. Let the students work in their own groups and enjoy the natural challenges of their skill levels.
"Jump the creek" provides excellent practice for jumping and landing and you should emphasize landing under control.
MOVING TO THE BEAT (Rhythms and Dance)
Rhythm is all around us. Every sound seems to have its unique quality of rhythm and it is very exciting to give children the opportunity to explore rhythm with body movements. We can use ribbons, scarves, balls, wands, lummi sticks, and other items to define and refine rhythmical movements, but the most fascinating piece of equipment is the human body.
You are encouraged to use all types of music to bring out the creativity in all of the children, and present the dance activities as physical challenges to be done to music. Remember, these are "no fault activities". Perfection may never be achieved but a true appreciation for individual effort is just around the corner!
BASIC RHYTHMS
1. "Sounding the beat with hands and feet " - Using 4-4 rhythm have the group clap their hands on the first beat of every 4 counts and change the clapping to just the second beat, then the third, and the fourth. Continue with clapping on the first and third and then the second and fourth and finally all four.
When you clap on all four counts wait for four counts before clapping again. This same activity can be done by stamping the feet. Marching and accenting certain beats with the feet and hands together is very challenging.
Pre K through second grade will require simple challenges but please do involve them in the rhythmical journey.
2. "Making tricks with lummi sticks" - Create a routine with music or a rhyming song such as " This Old Man" and work on an in class performance. Actions of drumming of the floor, tapping the sticks together, rolling them around each other , shaking them and pointing them gives you a variety of movements to put together a sequence of rhythmic actions.
3. "Ribbons and scarves in the air, over here and over there" - Use juggling scarves and ribbons to follow the beat of the music. Vary the tempos and watch the creativity take over.
You can start some basic juggling skills with this activity by having the children lifting and catching the scarves to the rhythm of the music and encouraging them to use both hands for lifting and catching. It is a lot of fun to change levels as the scarves travel through the air which helps to reinforce the total movement concept.
The ribbons can serve as aids to teach the alphabet as the children draw the letters in the air and try to spell their names. You can also have the children trace different geometric designs and create patterns such as figure eights and zig zag lines as the music plays or just on a verbal cue.
4. "Balls, hoops, and beanbags too. Over, under, around, and through" - This type of equipment brings other types of skills into the rhythm area and will create added interests for all age groups. The activities need to be age appropriate so the children do not get frustrated and want to stop.
CREATIVE DANCE
This may start as a follow the leader activity to practice total body movement with music. As the students become familiar with some basic steps, they should be encouraged to create their own movements to the music. It is best to start with a slow or moderate beat.
Creating their own movements and expressions will lead into the opportunity to begin formal teaching of established dances.
Changing levels, showing different degrees of force, and using locomotor and non manipulative skills open an endless number of choices for the students to be creative and enjoy moving to the music.
LINE DANCING
Line dancing is a non threatening, success oriented activity that is fun and easy to do. This section will contain some basic steps and a few dances to get you started.
Basic Steps
1. Step touch - step to the side with one foot and close with the opposite foot which will take 2 counts. These can be done to the right or the left.
2. Hustle - this is 2 step touches in the same direction - 4 counts.
3. Grapevine - step to the side with one foot, step behind this foot with and opposite foot, uncross your feet by bringing the first foot you out to the side while moving in the same direction, and close the second foot to the first - 4 counts.